fundraising

In Saturday night speeches to the Tennessee Democratic Party’s Three Star Dinner, Alabama Sen. Doug Jones and former Gov. Phil Bredesen struck similar themes, saying a willingness to work with Republicans is the way to change Democrats’ political fortunes in the Volunteer state. Party officials say about $450,000 was raised at the event in Lebanon.

Former Gov. Don Sundquist, who earlier endorsed Randy Boyd in the governor’s race and Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate, is now backing state Rep. Jimmy Matlock in the 2nd Congressional District Republican primary, reports Tennessee Star.

The Star posts a copy of a fundraiser for Matlock, to be held in Knoxville on June 18, with outgoing Republican U.S. Rep. John J. “Jimmy” Duncan Jr. and Sundquist listed as special guests supporting the state representative – along with their wives. Suggested minimum contribution is $500 per person.

Commemorative stones are being sold this month for placement on a pathway leading to the new Tennessee State Museum at $1,000 to $25,000 each — the bigger the donation, the bigger the stone. The buyer/donor can choose a name with an inscription of up to 20 characters.

An AP brief on the move says almost $30 million has been raised for the new museum so far. The goal is $40 million in private donations to go with $120 million in state funding for the new museum, scheduled to open in October.

In Friday night speeches to the Tennessee Republican Party’s annual Statesmen’s Dinner, U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Marsha Blackburn criticized former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen and praised President Donald Trump. The state GOP collected more than $750,000 at the fundraising event. Continue reading →

U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen is apparently the only candidate for statewide office this year to make a campaign issue out of the Asian carp invasion of Tennessee lakes and rivers. Now he’s using it as a fundraising device (gimmick?), offering baseball caps bearing the slogan ‘Phil Bredesen, U.S. Senate, Cut the Carp’ or ‘Phil Bredesen Against Asian Carp’ at $25 each.

U.S. Rep. Diane Black, who is stressing her opposition to illegal immigration in campaigning for governor, has proposed in Congress to use crowdfunding to help pay for the border wall proposed by President Donald Trump, reports Fox News. She has also issued a press release on the “Border Wall Trust Fund Act.”

Following up a promise made last month, President Donald Trump has scheduled an appearance at a Nashville fundraiser for U.S. Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn in late May.

From an AP brief: A Blackburn Victory Fund invitation says Trump will be in Nashville for the May 29 event. Admission options include a private round-table with Trump for $44,300 a couple; a private photo reception with Trump for $10,800 per couple; or just the general reception, at $2,700 per couple.

In a brief interview with Fox News, posted on the Republican Governors Association website, Gov. Bill Haslam declares U.S. Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn “a great friend and supporter” and says he will host a fundraiser for her next month.

Asked whether former governors make good U.S. senators, he says “most governors I know” who became senators “wind up being a little frustrated.” Blackburn’s presumptive November opponent, of course, is former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen. And one of the former governors he knows who became a senator is Tennessee’s Lamar Alexander.

Haslam is the current RGA chairman – “by default,” the interviewer suggests – and also says that Republicans face a difficult year in gubernatorial elections around the nation, though not specifically referring to Tennessee, and “we need to go into this with our eyes wide open and be alert.”

WASHINGTON D.C. – The Republican Governors Association announced today $63.2 million raised in all of 2017, including $27.2 million raised in the final six months of the year, setting a new fundraising record that significantly eclipses the $52.5 million raised in 2013, the last comparable year. This fundraising success allows the RGA to strongly support incumbent Republican governors, target key Democrat-held governorships, and elect a new class of Republican governors in 36 gubernatorial elections scheduled to occur less than 10 months from now.